Faculty Application to Offer Beyond the Classroom (BTC) Experiential Learning Class/Course
Please submit to bengt-carlson@utc.edu Campus Mail Code 4354 (423)-425-5825
www.utc.edu/think/beyond
For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. –Aristotle
Experiential learning is learning by doing. Critical thinking occurs during experiential learning.
Lead Faculty/Department Head Name(required for course-wide designation): Click here to enter text.
Department:Click here to enter text.Email Address: Click here to enter text.
First Semester the Course/Experience will be Offered:Click here to enter text.
How often do you plan to offer this course as a BTC course?
☐One time
☐Every semester
☐other(please describe)Click here to enter text.
Please check one type of Course to be evaluated (please see Definitions and Additional Criteria Section
below or contact bengt-carlson@utc.edu with questions) :
☐Co-op/internship ☐Study abroad ☐Applied learning ☐Creative activity ☐Independent Study ☐Teacher education
☐Lab course ☐Undergraduate Research ☐Service Learning ☐Capstone ☐Other, please describe:
Course Number: Click here to enter text. Course Title:Click here to enter text.
This application will be evaluated by a committee using the Guidelines found at http://www.utc.edu/thinkachieve/experiential-learning.php Examples of Applications for currently designated courses are also available at that site.
Required Elements of all Applications:
1. Please submit a current syllabus that contains descriptions of the work you outline in this
application.
2. The experiential element of the course must constitute enough of the grade such that a student
could not receive a grade of C or higher if the experiential element was not satisfactorily completed.
Please answer the following 4 questions:
1. Describe the project that will be required to fulfill the BTC component and how this project will
count for a significant portion of the student grade.
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2. How will the learning outcomes and assessments in your syllabus correspond to at least 3 of the 5
ThinkAchieve critical thinking student learning outcomes regarding experience based
understanding of the discipline? Examples of other applications can be found at
http://www.utc.edu/think-achieve/experiential-learning.php
Student Learning Outcome
Corresponding Course Learning
Outcome (at least 3 of 5)
Identifies, evaluates, and
interprets information by
raising pertinent questions
and identifying
uncertainties
Solves problems by
determining limitations,
making connections, and
prioritizing the potential
solution
Creates innovative
solutions to problems
through creative thinking
Communicates ideas and
information effectively
Click here to enter text.
Integrates knowledge and
skill through reflection on
thinking and learning
processes
Click here to enter text.
Corresponding
Assessment
Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text.
3. Please complete the table below to describe how the syllabus directs students to critically reflect
before, during and after the experience, integrating theory with their practice. More information
on Critical Reflection can be found at http://www.utc.edu/think-achieve/critical-reflection.php
Description of pre-experience
reflection activities
Click here to enter text.
Description of activities for
reflection occurring during the
experience
Click here to enter text.
Description of post-experience
reflection activities
Click here to enter text.
4.
How will you incorporate the additional criteria for the type of course selected above? Additional
Criteria for each type of course are listed on the following page.
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Definitions and Additional Criteria for Types of BTC Courses
• Co-operative education/internship course – work experiences with businesses or nonprofit organizations that
require discipline-based knowledge. Co-op and internship courses are approved through academic departments
1. Co-op and internship supervisors must evaluate the student’s work.
2. Students must complete a chronological log of activities using physical or electronic media such as a written log, series
of photos with captions, text or video blog, series of podcasts, or website. Instructors may specify type of log or allow
students to select any of the options listed.
• Study abroad course – Formal study abroad courses developed and led by UTC faculty. Other types of study abroad
courses approved by the UTC International Programs Office and Academic Departments
1. Students must complete a chronological log of activities using physical or electronic media such as a written log, series
of photos with captions, text or video blog, series of podcasts, or website. Instructors may specify type of log or allow
students to select any of the options listed.
• Applied learning course – application of discipline related knowledge through projects with businesses, civic
government and non-profit organizations, other non-university entities, or ongoing university applications
1. Courses/experiences must contain an engagement, rather than just observational, component.
Creative activity course - activity that is driven by the student’s imagination, curiosity, and/or inspiration that results in a
tangible outcome such as works rendered in oral, visual, physical, written word, electronic media, and/or other forms.
Performance and exhibition of creative works may also be included.
1. The creative work must be captured in electronic form.
2. Students must complete a chronological log of activities using physical or electronic media such as a written log, series
of photos with captions, text or video blog, series of podcasts, or website. Instructors may specify type of log or allow
students to select any of the options listed.
• Teacher Education course – applied learning courses designed specifically for teacher education programs
1.
Students must have a minimum of 20 hours of in-class experience for BTC credit.
2. Courses must contain engagement and reflection, rather than just observation.
• Service Learning-a student centered teaching method that involves academic instruction in partnership with UTC and the
larger community. The primary focus of service-learning is to enhance critical and reflective thinking and civic understanding.
Service-learning programs involve students in organized community partnerships that address local needs while developing
their academic skills.
1. Service Learning takes place with organized community reflection and includes reflection before, during and after the
experience.
• Lab course- an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact
directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models
(NSTA-NRC 2006, p. 3)
1. Lab Courses must contain an engagement and reflection component, rather than just documentation of observations.
•Undergraduate Research-An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original
intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline. (www.cur.org)
1. Must be heavily initiated by the student for a primarily independent research experience.
2. Students will keep a reflective journal that will include a log of activities and will connect research activities with
application/experience. (This may include special activities outside scheduled laboratory or field work times.)
•Independent Study-Project, reading, paper or other work for credit under supervision of a faculty member and primarily
focused on the student’s independent interest and work.
1. Must be heavily initiated by the student for a primarily independent experience.
2. Students will keep a reflective journal that will include a log of activities and will connect project activities with
application/experience. (This may include special activities outside scheduled laboratory or field work times.)
•Capstone- A class that the department or campus unit values for its ability to integrate all the essential elements of the
discipline
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Note: For the purposes of student recognition, a list of students adequately demonstrating 3 of the 5 SLO’s, or
corresponding Course Learning Outcomes from the table above must be submitted to bengt-carlson@utc.edu by the last
day of the semester. The below rubric can be used as a guide. There is no need to submit the rubric below, or a class roll;
only the names of the adequately participating students are required.
Student Learning
Outcome
Does not
demonstrate this
attribute(0)
Demonstrates this
attribute rarely(1)
Identifies, evaluates,
and interprets
information by
raising pertinent
questions and
identifying
uncertainties
Fails to state
questions or
uncertainties,
misrepresents
information
States pertinent
question(s), but fails
to identify how or
why it is a question or
problem. Identifies
some information
appropriately
Solves problems by
determining
limitations, making
connections, and
prioritizing the
potential solution
Fails to state
limitations, but does
not demonstrate
gains in perspective
on problem or
solutions
States limitation(s),
but finds few
connections to a
larger context or
other ways of
addressing the
problem
Creates innovative
solutions to problems
through creative
thinking
Fails to demonstrate
any interest in
approaching
problems from
multiple perspectives
States problem,
shows desire, and
exhibits effort to
introduce new
solutions
Communicates ideas
and information
effectively
Fails to state, and
discuss ideas and
information
Integrates knowledge
and skill through
reflection on thinking
and learning
processes
Fails to show
reflection; does not
demonstrate
understanding of
importance of
relationship between
knowledge and skill
Demonstrates this
attribute
adequately(2)
States pertinent
questions and
elements of the
question or problem.
Articulates scope of
question and
accurately interprets
and evaluates
information
Identifies multiple
limitations and
connections to
similar problems
appropriately
integrated with
discussion of
solutions
Demonstrates this
attribute
thoroughly(3)
Approaches problem
and solutions
iteratively from
different and related
perspectives not
suggested by others
Demonstrates
extensive
comprehension of
problem through
multiple effective,
original solutions
Occasionally
demonstrates ability
to comprehend, state,
and discuss
information
Consistently and
clearly states and
discusses points
Consistently states,
and discusses points
with precision,
identifies and
corrects any
discrepancy between
sent and received
messages
Reflects incompletely,
demonstrating some
acquisition of
knowledge and skill
through thinking and
learning
States how reflection
upon thinking and
learning processes
has increased
understanding of the
discipline,
incorporating the
relationship between
theory and practice
Regularly and openly
reflects on thinking,
learning, and growth
in the discipline
through recognition
of innate synergy
between knowledge
and skill
Adequate: 3 SLOs = minimum of 4.5 points, 4 SLOs = minimum of 6.0 points, 5 SLOs = minimum
of 7.5 points
Precisely states
understanding of
questions and related
uncertainties.
Interprets
information and
limits thereof.
Clearly distinguishes
connections between
limitations and
similar problems and
accurately prioritizes
multiple solutions to
particular problem
TOTAL POINTS
Department Head Signature(required for course wide designation)________________________________Date:_____________
Lead Faculty Signature___________________________________________________________________________________Date:_____________
Modified source: MTSU QEP Document-2006
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